Smoke Rise was an American progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band in 1969-1972. Its members were brothers Hank Ruffin (keyboards), Gary Ruffin (guitar), and Stan Ruffin (drums), and Randy Bugg (bass guitar). In 1970, they created the first American Rock Opera

Rock opera

A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...

, The Survival of St. Joan

The Survival of St. Joan

The Survival of St. Joan is a rock opera by Smoke Rise on a libretto by James Lineberger. To date, it has not been issued on compact disc. It was first produced as a concept album on Paramount Records PAS-9000 by Stephen Schwartz in 1971...

, based on a play and a libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...

 by James Lineberger and produced by Oscar-winner Stephen Schwartz

Stephen Schwartz (composer)

Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...

 and Dave Blume.

The Buffalo Production of The Survival of St. Joan set box office records in the fall of 1970 at the Studio Arena Theater in Buffalo, NY. The New York Off-Broadway production was staged at the Anderson Theater in the East Village

East Village, Manhattan

The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...

, with Gretchen Corbett

Gretchen Corbett

Gretchen Corbett is an American actress most noted for the role of Beth Davenport on the television series The Rockford Files from 1974 to 1978.-Early Life in Oregon:...

 (later of The Rockford Files

The Rockford Files

The Rockford Files is an American television drama series which aired on the NBC network between September 13, 1974 and January 10, 1980. It has remained in regular syndication to the present day. The show stars James Garner as Los Angeles-based private investigator Jim Rockford and features Noah...

fame) playing the title role. Another Oscar winner, F. Murray Abraham

F. Murray Abraham

Fahrid Murray Abraham is an American actor. He became known during the 1980s after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus. He has appeared in many roles, both leading and supporting, in films such as All the President's Men and Scarface...

, was also a member of the cast.

The artwork by Doug Jamieson for the cover of the double album (Paramount PAS 9000) was displayed in the New York Museum of Modern Art

Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...

.

In 1972 they replaced Randy Bugg on bass guitar with Bill Turpin (son, Will, is a member of Collective Soul

Collective Soul

Collective Soul is an American rock band originally formed in Stockbridge, Georgia. Collective Soul broke into mainstream popularity with their first hit single, "Shine", which came from their debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, released in 1993...

), and added Bob Sellmansberger (former band member now returned from military service) on guitar and put out a rock single, co-written and produced by Joey Levine

Joey Levine

Joey Levine is an American singer, songwriter and record producer of pop music, who has been active since 1966.-Career:...

, "I Need a Woman" (ATCO Records

Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

 45-6851). Its B-side was a bluesy "Late Last Friday Night", written by Gary.

Smoke Rise was known as a very melodic group with smooth 3 and 4 part harmonies, searing guitar solos and fills, and a tight rhythm section that rocked with the best groups of the 60's and 70's.

To date, their works have not been issued on compact disc

Compact Disc

The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...

.